Diesters of 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol



United States Patent 3,306,929 DIESTERS 0F 5,5,5-TRlNlIRO-L2- PENTANEDIOL Gustave B. Linden, Short Hills, N.J., assignor to Aerojet- The above reaction may optionally be carried out in any inert solvent, i.e., polar solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol, etc.; and non-polar solvents, i.e., benzene, hexane, toluene, etc. The proportions of the General Corporation, Azusa, Califi, a corporation of 5 reactants elnplloyed reacfion are not critical Nor- Ohm mally, stoichrometncally equivalent amounts are used No Drawing Filed N0 26 1953, Sen No. 326,288 since this results in the most economical utilization of the 4 Cl i ((1 260-483) reactants. Thus, usually one mole of alcohol is used per mole of ketone or aldehyde. The reaction temperature This invention relates to certain novel polynitro comshould normally be sufliciently high so that the reactants pounds and their method of preparation. will dissolve to a substantial degree in the reaction me- It is an object of this invention to prepare certain novel dium, but in any event, the reaction temperature should organic nitro compounds. It is still another object of be below the composition temperature of the reactant. this invention to prepare new nitro corn-pounds in a novel Normally, the reaction is conducted at a. temperature bemanner. These and other objects of this invention will tween about 0 C. and about 100 C. The most prebe apparent from the detailed description which follows. ferred temperature is from about C. to about 90 One class of novel compounds of this invention have C. Pressure is not critical in this reaction. Therefore, the following general formula: while any pressure can be used, the reaction is normally (I) N02 run under atmospheric pressure.

I 20 The above reaction is preferably conducted in the pres- R'\ /OCHCH2CH2(IJNOZ ence of an effective catalytic amount of an acid esterifica- 0 N02 tion catalyst such as cupric sulfate or boron trifluoride etherate. wherein R is hydrocarbyl, preferably lower alkyl having M E I from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, p butyl and hexyl, and R is selected from the group con- Plepa' 1 of thy sisting of hydrocarbyl and hydrogen. The hydrocarbyl mltmp Op y 2) groups in Formula I y be in addition to yL y The 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol 427 grams) was.dis- Preferably lower 'y containing 6 to 12 carbons, solved in 1500 ml. acetone. This solution was stirred P y and P Y alkaryl, Preferably lower alkali/1' with 600 g. anhydrous powdered cupric sulfate and 3 ml. wntainillg from 7 carbons; and y Pmfefably boron trifiuoride etherate for 20 hours. The copper sulfate lower aralkyl contalnl'ng 7 to 20 carbofiswas removed by filtration and the acetone was removed The compounds f Formula I are Prepared in accordunder reduced pressure. The residual oil was transferred ame With the followlllg gener a1 reaction ENation! to a beaker and 600 ml. ice water was added with stirring. 1 ([)H o, H The oil crystallized instantly. The product was filtered, washed thoroughly with ice water, and dried in vacuo. OH CH2 CH CHPCHZ N02 R O R The yield of moist product was 405 g., M.P. 34 to 35 C. N02 This crude dioxolene was heated to boiling with 1300 ml. 1 hexane on the steam bath and the nearly colorless, cloudy solution was decanted from a small layer of oil and water. NO The hexane solution was clarified by shaking with 50 g. a sodium sulfate and filtering. The hexane solution was R OCHB cooled and seeded and left in a deep-freeze overnight. wherein R and R are as defined above. The colorless product was collected by filtration and dried According to Reaction II, it can be seen that the 5,5,5- in vacuo. The yield of 2,2-dirnethyl-4(3',3,3'-trinitrotrinitro-l,2-pentanediol is reacted with an aldehyde 0! propyl)-1,3-dioxolane was 3.6 =g., M.P. 38 to 39 C. ketone to form a substituted -4(3',3;3'-trinitropropyl-1,3 When the foregoing example is twice repeated using dioxolane. first acetaldehyde and then benzophenone in lieu of ace- Illustrative compounds which are obtained by the practone, good yields of 2-rnethyl-4(3,3',3'-trinitropropyl)- tice of Reaction II together with the corresponding re- 1,3-dioxola-ne and 2,2-diphenyl-4(3',3',3'-trinitropropyl)- 'actant materials are set forth in Table I below. 1,3-dioxola-ne, respectively, are obtained.

TABLE I Diol Aldehyde or Ketone Dioxolane 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol Acetone 2,2(idimethyl-4(3,3,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3-

Methyl ethyl ketone Z-mftli lithyl-et(3,3,3-trinitr0propyl) 1,3- Benzophenone 2,-2il i 1 )h:r i;l-4(3,3,3-t1initropropyl)-l,3- dioxolane. Ethyl benzyl Zrgfigl-Lgggnzyl-MW,3,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3- Diisopropyl ketone. 2,2diisopropyl-4(3 ,3 ,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3-

dioxolane. Acetaldehyde 2-methyl4(3,3,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3-dioxolane. O-methyl benzaldehyde. 2-tolyl-4(3,3,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3-dioxolane. Valeraldehyde 2pentyl-4 (3 ,3 ,3 -trinitropropyl) -1,3-dioxolaue.

Another class of novel compounds of this invention have the following general formula wherein R is hydrocarbyl. Preferably, R is an alkyl group, more preferably having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, butyl and hexyl. Other hydrocarbyl groups which may be substituents on the above diester are aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl. Normally, R has from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.

Illustrative of the compounds of Formula III are 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol diacetate, 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2,- pentanediol dibenzoate, 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol dihexanoate, 5,5,5,-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol dipropionate, 5,5,5 trinitro-1,2 pentanediol dihydrocinnamate, and 5,5,5,-trinitro-1,Z-pentanediol ditolyluate.

The novel esters of the above formula are prepared in accordance with the following general reaction:

wherein R is as defined above, and Z is hydroxy or halo, preferably chloro or bromo.

The above reaction may optionally be carried out in any inert solvent, i.e., chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, hexane, methanol, etc. The proportions of the reactants employed in the reaction are not critical. Normally, stoichiometrically equivalent amounts are used since this results in the most economical utilization of the reactants. Thus, usually one mole of alcohol is used per mole of acid or acid halide. The reaction temperature should normally be sufficiently high so that the reactants will dissolve to a substantial degree in the reaction medium, but in any event, the reaction temperature should be below the decomposition temperature of the reactant. Normally, the reaction is conducted at a temperature between about 0 C. and about 150 C. The most preferred temperature is from about C. to about 90 C. Pressure is not critical in this reaction. Therefore, while any pressure can be used, the reaction is normally run under atmospheric pressure.

It is to be understood that the acid ingredient may be generated in situ from the corresponding acid anhydride. Thus, acetic acid may be furnished by acetic anhydride.

The above reaction is preferably conducted in the presence of an effective catalytic amount of an acid esterification catalyst such as aluminum chloride or boron trifluoride etherate.

EXAMPLE II 5,5,5-trinitro-1,Z-pentanediol diacetate Two and four tenths g. 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol was dissolved with slight warming in 15 ml. chloroform. Then 4.0 ml. of acetic anhydride and a spatula-tip of aluminum chloride was added. Reflux was continued for 8 hours. Chloroform, acetic acid, and excess acetic anhydride was removed under vacuum. The residual was distilled at 120 to 125 C. The distillate was colorless, had an index of refraction of 1.4646 at C. The residue was a small amount of yellowish solid. The ester was redistilled at 1.1 to 1.4 mm. at 110 to 115 C. Obtained complete distillation, index of refraction 1.4648 at 25 C.

Analysis.Calcd for: C, 33.44; H, 4.05; N, 13.00. Found: C, 31.70; H, 3.99; N, 13.23

EXAMPLE III 5,5,5-trinitr0-1 ,Z-pentanediol a'ibenzoate Two and eight-tenths g. 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol was dissolved with slight heating in 20 ml. carbon tetrachloride. Then about 10 ml. of benzoic acid was added. The mixture was refluxed for about 12 hours. The unreacted benzoic acid and the carbon tetrachloride was removed under vacuum. Elemental analysis of the residue showed it to be substantially pure 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2- pentanediol dibenzoate.

When Example III is repeated using toluic acid in lieu of benzoic acid, -a good yield of 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol ditolyluate is obtained.

The compounds of Formulae I and III may be isolated in conventional manner by filtration, evaporation, extraction and/ or distillation.

The compounds of Formulae I and III, which contain a plurality of nitro groups, are inherently useful as high explosives. These compounds can also be used in any conventional explosive missile, projectile, rocket or the like, as the main explosive charge. An example of such a missile is described in US. Patent 2,470,162, issued May 17, 1949. One way of using such high explosives in a device such as that disclosed in US. Patent 2,470,162 is to absorb the liquid explosive in an absorbent material such as cellulose, wood pulp, or sawdust. The resultant dynamite-type explosive can then be packed into the warhead of the missile. A charge thus prepared is sufliciently insensitive to withstand the shock entailed in the ejection of a shell from a gun barrel or a rocket launching tube under the pressure developed from ignition of a propel- Iant charge, and can be caused to explode on operation of an impact or time-fuse mechanism firing a detonating explosive such as lead azide or mercury fulminate.

The esters and acetals of this invention are also useful as fungicides.

This example describes a particular method of preparing a novel propellant composition according to this invention from the following ingredients wherein 2,2- dimethyl-4(3,3,3'-trinitropropyl)1,3-dioxolane is one of the plasticizers.

EXAMPLE IV Ingredient: Weight percent Ammonium perchlorate 65.00 Aluminum 13.00 Copper chromite 0.50 Phenyl betanaphthylamine 0.20 Ferric acetylacetonate 0.08 Glycerol monoricinoleate 1.08 Polypropylene glycol (M.W.=2000) 13.76 Dioctyl azelate 4.00

2,2 dimethyl 4(3',3,3-trinitropropyl)-1,3-

dioxolane 0.20

Lecithin 0.20 Tolylene diisocyanate 1.98

The aluminum powder is stirred into about of the required volume of polypropylene glycol and glycerol monoricinoleate. The mixture is prepared in a stainless steel container, using a copper-beryllium spatula. Mixing is continued for about ten minutes.

The aluminum slurry is added to a conventional mixer equipped with facilities for heating, cooling, and vacuumizing the propellant mix. The Walls of the aluminum slurry container are scraped thoroughly. The container is rinsed with of the required volume of dioctyl azelate and the rinses are added to the mixer. The remaining polypropylene glycol is added to the mixer. The 2,2- dimethyl-4(3,3',3-trinitropropyl) -1,3-dioxolane is mixed with the remaining dioctyl azelate until homogeneous and the solution is then added to the mixer.

With the mixer oil, the ferric acetylacetonate, phenyl betanaphthylamine, and lecithin are added through a 40- mesh screen. The copper chromite is added to the mixer.

The mixer is covered and mixed by remote control for 15 minutes under 26 to 28 inches of vacuum, after which it is stopped and the vacuum released with dry nitrogen. The cover is removed from the mixer and the oxidizer is added by remote control with the mixer blades in motion.

After all of the oxidizer has been added, the mixer is stopped and scraped down. The propellant mass is mixed for 15 minutes at 70 F. under 26 inches vacuum by remote control. The mixer is stopped and the vacuum released with dry nitrogen. The tolylene diisocyanate is added, after which the mass is mixed for ten minutes at 70 F. and 26 inches of vacuum by remote control. The vacuum is then released with dry nitrogen and the mixture is cast.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Compounds of the formula:

wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl,

aryl, aralkyl and alkaryl, and contains from 1 to about 20 0 carbon atoms.

2. Compounds of the formula NO: 0 NOz( 1-CH2CHz-CHCHz-O R1 (5:0 1. wherein R is lower alkyl.

3. Compounds of the formula N02 NO2CCHzCHzCHCH:-O R

wherein R is a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

4. The compound 5,5,5-trinitro-1,2-pentanediol diacetate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,185,297 1/1940 Gloor 260488 2,374,484 4/1945 Haas et a1 260488 2,518,940 8/ 1950 Rust et a1 260476 2,861,081 11/ 1958 Petrie 26'03 40.9 2,862,007 11/ 1958 Stansbury et al. 260340.9 2,889,359 6/1959 Guest et al 260488 2,978,455 4/1961 Frankel 260-488 2,993,055 7/1961 Hennis et al. 260-340.9 3,101,378 8/1963 Linden 260-635 3,223,725 12/1965 Hill 260-476 LORRAINE A. WEINTBERGER, Primary Examiner. RICHARD K. JACKSON, Examiner.

NORMA S. MILESTONE, V. GARNER,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. COMPOUNDS OF THE FORMULA: 